With all of the excitement and anticipation that comes with preparing for the arrival of your baby and giving birth, it’s not surprising that the post partum period is often overlooked.
Taking care of yourself is as important as taking care of your newborn. Here are a few things to expect post-delivery and a few post-partum self care tips.
Post vaginal delivery soreness
It’s highly likely that you’ll experience some level of soreness *down there* post vaginal delivery. In the case that you had an episiotomy or any grade of vaginal tearing this tip is especially for you.
What you can do:
Insert some frozen maternity pads in your underwear and let them work their magic. This is the one thing I couldn’t live without post delivery.
If you gave birth in a hospital, there’ll probably be a stash of heavy duty pads waiting for you in the freezer. Otherwise, they’re pretty simple to make when you get home.
Just take a batch of overnight pads / maternity pads and run some water over each one (maybe even add a dash of witch hazel if you have it but make sure it’s alcohol free) and save them in the freezer.
Trust me, you’ll thank me later. I’d also recommend skipping the toilet paper and opting for a bidet style of washing after using the toilet. I literally just used a disposable cup of water and gently patted dry with paper. Nothing too fancy, sorry if that’s TMI.
Feeling super hungry post partum
Between breastfeeding or bottle feeding, restless nights and recuperating from giving birth it’s understandable that your hunger levels will increase.
Your appetite will probably be similar to that when you were pregnant because now, your body is literally creating a food source for your baby.
What you can do:
If you have time, you could batch cook and freeze nutritious meals for you and your family pre-delivery so that you can cut yourself some slack when those post-partum days roll around.
Another option could be setting up a mini support network of family members who can pop over with some home cooked meals every now and again.
In any case, it’s always a good idea to have a few snacks and a glass of water somewhere nearby, especially when breastfeeding.
It can be overwhelming learning the ropes of how to look after your newborn, but it’s as important that you look after yourself and fuel your body.
Happy mama = happy baby.
Post partum hair loss
Be prepared for the luscious locks you gained in pregnancy to potentially transition into a hair loss phase lasting around three months or more.
After the high levels of estrogen and progesterone have leveled out post-delivery, some mothers may experience larger than average amounts of hair loss anywhere between two to six months after childbirth. Don’t worry, this is normal.
Although not all mothers experience this, there are a few things you can do to help your body deal with the transition if you do.
What you can do:
I know it’s easier said than done, but first of all, stay calm if you can. Watching as you pull out what seem to be clumps of hair in the shower can seem a little bewildering at first, but just keep in mind that old adage: This too shall pass.
Make sure you’re eating a protein and iron rich diet to help your hair growth.
Keep taking your prenatal vitamins, especially if you’re breastfeeding, in order to maintain healthy levels of blood sugar, iron, ferritin, zinc and vitamin D.
If you are feeling depleted and nothing helps, you can always get in touch with your doctor and take some blood tests to check if you need to take any extra supplements.
Feeling more emotional than usual
Understandably, after giving birth, you might feel like a mixed up bag of emotions.
Whereas your hormone levels were skyrocketing during pregnancy they start to level off in the weeks post delivery. The highs of finally meeting your baby and sharing snuggles and love are balanced by the lows of exhaustion and overwhelm, so it’s no wonder you might feel like crying at the drop of a hat.
What you can do:
Though it might not be practical for everyone’s circumstances in this fast paced world, allocating yourself at least 15 minutes of alone time in a day can have an unexpectedly positive impact on your sense of relaxation and wellbeing.
Of course, we’d love to spend every minute with our new bubbas, but don’t overlook your need to touch base with yourself every now and then.
If there is a family member or partner who can take over with the little one for a little each day, why not treat yourself to a relaxing bath or shower, take a quick walk in the fresh air, perhaps listen to some favourite podcasts and music or read a few pages from an inspiring book.
Eating a healthy diet and getting as much rest as possible is important when it comes to getting you feeling grounded and relaxed. Eating well can have a huge positive impact not only on your energy levels but on your mood as well.
The ‘Baby Blues’
If you start to feel low emotionally and feel confused, don’t fret. The ‘baby blues’ affect most mothers up to two weeks after delivery.
In the case you think you or your partner may be experiencing Postnatal Depression up to one year after giving birth, get in touch with your care provider right away for some extra support and advice.
Weird bowel movements
OK so squeamish readers look away now.
It’s not uncommon for women to experience hemorrhoids’ after birth as well as painful bowel movements or potentially extremely loose stools that exit on a whim.
It might be that you don’t experience any such symptoms in which case, hooray. In case you do though…
What you can do:
Try to avoid any foods which you know might irritate your stomach when it comes to watery stools. In my case that meant avoiding lentils like the plague (!)
When it comes to constipation, try to relax and ‘breathe it out’, staying as hydrated as possible and eating foods which encourage bowel movements.
If you are experiencing painful hemorrhoid’s, the frozen maternity pads with the witch hazel essential oil addition could work wonders for you now as well.
Bleeding for six weeks plus and cramping
This might come as a shocking reminder after those carefree, sanitary towel-free golden days of pregnancy but after giving birth, most women experience bleeding anywhere from one moth up to seven weeks as the womb replaces its lining.
You might also experience some mild cramping two to three days after birth which feel not dissimilar to menstrual cramps as your uterus starts contracting back to its pre-pregnancy size – which is about the size of an orange according to the American Pregnancy Association!
What to do:
For this one, I highly recommend investing in a few dark-coloured granny pants which you don’t mind potentially disposing of once all is said and done because comfort defeats sexy right now.
Also, if you do notice abnormally heavy blood flow, a lot of large blood clots or if you’re feeling feverish, get in touch with your health care provider just to stay on the safe side and to eliminate the possibility of a postpartum hemorrhage.
For the cramps, you’re normal menstrual cramp routine will work wonders – anything from a hot water bottle to a relaxing bath.
So much attention is understandably put on pregnancy and birth that the information we receive about the post partum period can get lost in the ether. Don’t forget that your body still needs as much love and attention now as it received during pregnancy.